Olive tree named &#39;i-16&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of olive tree, herein referred to by its cultivar name, ‘I-16’, is provided which forms an upright to spreading growth habit. Fruit with a low weight and obtuse shape is produced. The fruit exhibit dark violet coloration and the fruit nipple is absent or weak. The stone of the fruit of the new variety is of medium weight, moderately elongated and possesses a moderately rugose surface.

Botanical/commercial classification: Latin name—Olea europaea L. Common name—Olive tree. Varietal denomination—‘I-16’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Spanish Application No. 20205555, which was filed at Spanish Office of Vegetable Varieties in Spain on Jul. 16, 2020, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of olive tree of the present invention was created by a controlled cross in Spain wherein two parents which previously had been studied were crossed in the hope that they would contribute the desired characteristics. The female parent (i.e., seed parent) of the new variety was the ‘ARBOSANA’ variety (unpatented). The male parent (i.e., pollen parent) was the ‘KORONEIKI’ variety (unpatented).

The parentage can be summarized as follows:

‘ARBOSANA’ x ‘KORONEIKI’.

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and small plants were obtained which were physically and biologically different from each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of a single plant of the new variety.

The new variety's color is a less intense green when compared to the color of the ‘Arbosana’ variety. The new variety's size is smaller than the ‘Koroneiki’ variety. The new variety has no known similar un-related varieties.

It was found that the new variety of the present invention possesses the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   (a) the tree has a upright to spreading growth habit     -   (b) the fruit weight is low and the fruit color is dark violet     -   (c) the fruit is obtuse and weakly asymmetric     -   (d) the fruit either possesses a weak or absent nipple     -   (e) the stone is moderately elongated with a medium weight and         moderately rugose surface.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry and has not been commercialized. The new variety has an easy agronomic management.

The new variety can be readily distinguished from related similar varieties. The new variety has a small variety size.

The new variety has been found to undergo asexual propagation in Spain by vegetative cuttings. Asexual propagation by vegetative cutting in Spain has shown that the characteristics of the new variety are stable and are strictly transmissible by such asexual propagation from one generation to another. Accordingly, the new variety undergoes asexual propagation in a true-to-type manner.

The new variety has been named ‘I-16’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same, in a color illustration of this character, typical specimens of the plant parts of the new variety.

FIG. 1—illustrates the growth of the new variety.

FIG. 2—illustrates the foliage of the new variety.

FIG. 3—illustrates specimens of the new variety's immature fruit.

FIG. 4—illustrates the growth habit of the new variety.

FIG. 5—illustrates the size of the new variety's mature fruit.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors is that of The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart, 2007 edition), London, England. The terminology which precedes reference to the chart has been added to indicate the corresponding color in more common terms. The description is based on data collected from a four-year-old specimen during 2019 in Villafranca (Córdoba, Spain).

-   Plant:     -   -   Growth habit.—Upright to spreading. -   Fruit:     -   -   Average weight—1.2 g (low).         -   Shape—apex.—Obtuse.         -   Color designation (flesh color).—59A. -   Stone:     -   -   Quantity.—1.         -   Shape.—Moderately elongated.         -   Average weight.—0.22 g (low).         -   Texture.—Moderately rugose.         -   Mucron.—Present. -   Development:     -   -   Plant/fruit disease, pest resistance.—Free of Cucumber             mosaic virus (CMV), Cherry leaf roll virus (CLRV),             Strawberry latent ringspot virus (SLRSV) and Arabis mosaic             virus (ArMV).

The new ‘I-16’ variety has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat with changes in light intensity and duration, cultural practices, and other environmental conditions. 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of olive tree characterized by the following combination of characteristics: (a) the tree has a upright to spreading growth habit (b) the fruit weight is low and the fruit color is dark violet (c) the fruit is obtuse and weakly asymmetric (d) the fruit either possesses a weak or absent nipple (e) the stone is moderately elongated with a medium weight and moderately rugose surface; substantially as herein shown and described. 